to find a republican operative, arepublicanelectedofficial,a republican, even inside of romney's own campaign who felt self-confident, who felt confident about their guy. everybody was belly aching. we went up to do some reporting about this fiscal cliff debate on capitol hill? we talked to republicans. republicans talk about the debate like it is a foregone conclusion president obama was going to win re-election. just the mood going in and the mood going out is dramatic to have people actually saying hey, romney our guy. best debate in 20 years are coming from "the weekly standard", by bill kristol who spent the last month being a professional romney critic. >> expectations game moving forward because harder for republicans argue before the next presidential debate and president obama is great orator and romney is so, so. we saw romney give stronger performance. expectations for him will be higher in the next debate. >> james, one of our 10 to 20 reporters we have on the ground at the debate in denver has been in the spin room. he is joining us. hey, homan, forget the romney side of

. >> the important discussion today. >> many of you know that jon huntsmanwaselectedgovernorof utah in 2004, when he compiled a very distinguished record. he oversaw major tax and health care reform and also major improvements in public education. following his service as governor he was appointed by president obama as the ambassador to china in 2009. he left that position to run for president and gained tremendous respect for his forthright discussion of important policy challenges. this fall, governor huntsman actually joined the brookings institution as a distinguished fellow, so we are pleased to call in our colleague. bart gordon is a practicing attorney and partner at k&l gates and also a distinguished fellow at the council on competitiveness. bard is a former u.s. representative from the state of tennessee. he served in congress for 26 years from 2007-2010 he served as chairman of the house committee on science and technology. bard is working with the brookings institution to improve public sector leadership as part of our new initiative on improving leadership and management. bill kristol

for the president's re-election effort is simply one word, forward. but not everyone thought it was catchy enough. so the vice president has apparently been floating some alternatives. >> age change only comes through challenge. i'm more optimistic about this country than i ever have been. not because of baraken. he can't do it. forget about your [bleep]. forget about all of it. so why the hell don't you go home. i don't quite get this. i'm so ashamed. [laughter] >> vice president biden was fired up at the naacp speech today. his second stem winder in a week. obama supporters praised those speeches. now it appears one show uncovered a new tour biden's starting. >> this summer, don't miss your chance to see america's funniest number two. joe biden, vp of comedy. >> those walls are often thin. i wonder how the hell my parents did it. that is different story. >> every laugh. >> barak says, three-letter word, j, o, b, s, jobs. >> every gaffe. >> god rest her soul and, although she is, your mom is still alive. it was your dad passed. god bless her soul. >> the joe biden vp of comedy tour. it will have

andelectioncampaigns?>> the major effort has been going on for some time to come in various ways, to force business to back away from participating in both the election process and the process of governance. which loses sight of the fact that the constitution fundamentally guarantees us the right to petition the government, and the supreme court continues to support that right. and why do people want us not to do it? because for years, you know, people in business were reticent to, and then we started getting organized and now are all saying wait a minute, we didn't invite him to this party. we like our deal where we just make our arrangements and when our elections. well, good luck. it ain't happening. and american businesses are beginning to see that if they don't play any game, somebody else is going to steal their lunch. >> and that's a good think it is a good thing that american businesses are getting involved. i said earlier we do not have a clinical action committee at the nam but we are forming one. we had a debate for 40 years, and manufactures are very concerned about the future

. and an incredible, beautiful environment and also in aninterestingelectionseasonto say the least. our first award for the evening -- before we get to that, i have to start it was a joke. can i start out with a joke? joe biden. sorry, that's the joke. [applause] followed by another joke, nancy pelosi. sorry. as an ardent practicing catholic. sorry. i was told by friends of "saturday night live" but i do the best nancy pelosi impersonation, but i'm still waiting for that bet they are going to me and "saturday night live." he seemed to avoid goofy liberal spirits on the republicans they do over there. our first award to the evening is the obama got some award. i can't believe i'm actually saying that. troubling. for about 25 years come in the media research center has been documenting every idiocy we know from the media as they celebrate one liberal hero after another. and let me just say, the people we are going to be talking about, they love politicians who want to raise your taxes, right? they love politicians who want to expand the nanny state and are going to check all the boxes here. the

and there was no pressure on that one. we are moving intoanotherelectionaboutchange. the central question is whether government is capable of contributing to positive change. the stimulus is exhibit a for the republican argument which is weird because it really ought to be exhibit a for the argument that it can. i realize i sound like an obama cheerleader. it is an extremely uncomfortable role for me and there's a theme for the end of the book where i am talking to joe biden who oversaw the stimulus. he let me sit in on a cabinet meeting devoted to the stimulus and basically giving me a hard time. i read all your articles. you are the only guy who wrote anything remotely positive. i am usually more of a downer than little mary sunshine. my friends will back me up on that. it is unusual for me. he started laughing at me. took him to bed and slept on them -- i didn't get into journalism to tell stories that joe biden would want to cuddle with. i followed the facts and my stories look blowing compared to the ridiculous thoughts ofs without the gotcha that passed for stimulus journalism. as i said about